More than 80% of staff Weston Area Health NHS Trust (WAHT) were vaccinated against influenza this year. This was a significant improvement from last year by over 17%, making Weston the second most improved trust in the country.
Flu can be a very serious illness – even if you are normally fit and well, so it is great that so many staff showed their commitment to protecting themselves, their patients, families and friends.
Our team of vaccinators – staff from varying clinical roles across the Trust – worked tirelessly to ensure that all staff had the opportunity to have the vaccination. Our determined vaccinators roamed the hospital offering the vaccination; staff could even dial-a-jab by calling or bleeping a vaccinator. This high-level of availability proved to be a huge success.
Each week wards and department’s competed against each other to try to win the Director of Nursing's cake Friday! This proved to be very popular with our staff; especially as all the cakes were homemade by our Director of Nursing, and two other members of staff who all baked them in their own time.
To thank all our vaccinators for their hard work, a small tea party was held to mark the end of this year’s Flu campaign. Sarah Dodds, and Chief Executive and Trust Flu Champion, James Rimmer, were also able to personally thank the vaccinators.
Sarah Dodds, Director of Nursing said “I would like to thank all of our staff this year as they embraced the importance of protecting themselves and their patients against the flu, often seen queuing up for their vaccination provided by a team of over 40 members of staff.”